Whoa!
The Only English Word That Ends in -gry (Besides Angry and Hungry)
Every few years, social media erupts with the same question: "What's the third word that ends in -gry?" This seemingly simple query has frustrated English speakers for decades, spawned countless internet debates, and even led to academic research. The twist? There is no third common word.
Mind-Blowing Fact: The Oxford English Dictionary has received more queries about -gry words than any other topic in its 150-year history!
The Famous Two
"Angry" and "hungry" stand alone as the only common English words ending in -gry. Despite English having over 170,000 words in current use, this particular ending appears in just these two everyday words.
The Riddle's Origin
The mystery began with a 1975 game show where contestants were asked: "Think of words ending in -gry. Angry and hungry are two of them. There are only three words in the English language. What is the third word?" The question's ambiguous wording led people to search for a nonexistent word.
Puzzle Solution: The original riddle was actually asking about the word "language" itself - the third word in the phrase "the English language."
Historical -gry Words
While some archaic words like "aggry" (glass beads) and "puggry" (Indian turban) technically end in -gry, they haven't been in common use for centuries. The last recorded use of "aggry" in print was in 1869.
Why These Two Survived
Both "angry" and "hungry" are essential, frequently used words that describe basic human conditions. Their constant use helped them resist the natural evolution that eliminated other -gry words from English.
Usage Stat: "Angry" appears about 10 times more frequently in modern English than all other historical -gry words combined!
Modern Inventions
The popularity of the mystery has inspired new coinages. "Hangry" (hungry + angry) gained official dictionary status in 2018. Tech companies have tried creating brands ending in -gry, but none have stuck in common usage.
Global Impact
The -gry puzzle has spread to non-English speaking countries, where it's often used to teach English language patterns. Some language learning apps even include it as a lesson about English exceptions.
Teaching Note: ESL teachers report that the -gry story helps students remember that English rules often have exceptions.
Digital Age Mystery
Despite being definitively solved, the mystery persists online. Each new social media platform seems to rediscover and spread the puzzle, creating fresh waves of linguistic detectives searching for the nonexistent word.
Key Takeaways
Essential insights about -gry words
The -gry mystery showcases how language puzzles can capture public imagination and persist across generations. While only "angry" and "hungry" remain as common -gry words, the search for more has created one of English's most enduring linguistic legends, teaching us about both language patterns and the spread of information in the digital age.
